


Flirtatious

by inaudible_d



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-23 22:50:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7482987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inaudible_d/pseuds/inaudible_d
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nino’s florist canceled his order two days before his mother's birthday. He headed to a florist nearby and was greeted with something pleasant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flirtatious

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for lj user kanu_x for this year's ninoexchange.

**flir·ta·tious**  
 _adjective_  
behaving in such a way as to suggest a playful sexual attraction to someone.  
 _synonyms: coquettish, flirty, kittenish, teasing_

**

Nino glanced at his phone as it was buzzing on the desk. The name of his florist showed up. Nino raised his brow a bit before taking it and pressed the button to answer.

“Yes. What’s up?” Nino said casually.

“Yes, of course, I know that order. You know I make that order every year,” Nino replied to the phone while looking at his desk calendar. It was two days before his mother’s birthday.

“What do you mean it’s not available? I always asked you to make sure that you can have everything ready for the day.”

Nino sighed, “You know why I make that order every year, right? It’s for my mother’s birthday.”

“Oh well if it’s inevitable and you guys can’t get it ready within two days I can just take anything— you can’t process orders until next week? What— why?”

Another sigh, then, “Okay. Okay, thank you for the heads up. Yes, a voucher would be great. You have my e-mail address, right?”

“Yes, I see. Thank you. You’re welcome,” Nino hung up the phone. He groaned a bit because it was highly annoying to have to look for another place to buy flowers for his mother’s birthday. He always buys the same flowers from the same florist every year and to look for alternatives two days before his mother’s birthday freaked him out a little.

Just in time, Sakurai - Nino’s coworker - entered the room. It was his turn to be the call doctor for the next shift. For some reason Nino didn’t know, Sakurai was holding a bouquet of roses and lilies in his right hand.

“Sakurai-san,” Nino called, “Where do you get those flowers from?”

Sakurai looked at him a bit distractedly, “What flowers? Oh, this bouquet? I bought it from that florist down the street.”

Nino burst out laughing at that answer. Then Sakurai shot a glance at him, “What’s so funny?”

“I’m sorry,” Nino answered between his giggles, “I thought someone gave it to you. My mistake, of course, you bought it yourself.”

Sakurai’s face went pale at the statement as he raised his eyebrows, “What do you mean?”

Nino was still laughing by then; his face went red as he tried to muffle his laughter using the back of his elbow, “I thought you finally hit it off with Ohno-san!”

Sakurai blushed at that, “Well, um, actually we’re going to go for a date tonight. And we’re going to the ramen shop nearby, and I thought if— if probably it’s the right time to tell him about— about my feelings,” Sakurai ducked his head and navigated to his desk. He put the bouquet of flowers down and kept himself busy by rearranging things on his desk.

Nino smiled at that. He stood up and walked to Sakurai’s desk.

“I wish you for the best luck then,” Nino patted Sakurai’s shoulder, “Ohno-san seems like a good guy. I think you guys should date.”

“Thanks,” Sakurai mumbled, face still so red and not looking at Nino’s direction.

Nino nodded, “My shift has ended, and I need to take care of some things. So... see you tomorrow, Sho-chan!”

Sakurai just nodded, still refused to meet Nino’s eyes.

“See you later then! And good luck!” Nino said before leaving the room.

“Florist down the street, huh,” Nino mumbled to himself. He thought of checking it just in case they had some flowers that he needed.

**

Nino looked at the simple yet elegant decoration of the florist ’down the street’. There was a wooden board on the side of the glass doors. “Fleur La Vie” was written on the board. Nino glanced at it for a second before pushing the door to let himself in. There was a chime attached to the door, so it made a chiming sound when he entered.

“Welcome to the store!” Nino heard a cheerful voice greeting him from the inside.

Nino looked around to flowers that the place offered. The florist wasn’t as vast as Nino thought it would be, but there were unmistakably a lot of variety of flowers in there.

“How may I help you?” The voice that greeted Nino when he got in was suddenly so close to him. Nino glanced to his right and found a smiling shopkeeper beside him. He was wearing a loose white shirt and a green apron. And a mask to cover his mouth and nose.

“Um... are you alright? Why are you wearing a mask?” Nino couldn’t help throwing the question.

Much to his surprise, the shopkeeper laughed. “I’m sensitive to pollen. It’s necessary to prevent getting a hay fever.”

Nino raised his brows, “Why are you working in a florist if you’re allergic to pollen?”

“I just want to help the owner. He’s my friend!” the shopkeeper kept chirping. “He’s allergic to pollen too, you see!” the shopkeeper turned his head to a direction to point to the shop owner.

He was right, most of the shop owner’s face was covered with a mask too.

“So, may we help you on something, sir?”

“Oh right,” Nino snapped out of his thoughts of how funny the shop owner’s eyebrows looked, “I’m going to need this,” he fumbled with his phone before showing the shopkeeper a list.

He read it for some moments, then, “We have some of the flowers ready, but we may need some time to prepare the others.”

He pointed at the phone screen, “Do you need it for now or-”

“Oh. No. I’m going to need it by Friday, actually,” Nino replied, “It’s for my mom’s birthday.”

“Ooooh! Then you will have to fill the order form! Come, it’s on the cashier!”

Nino followed the shopkeeper to the cashier’s counter. It was the shop owner, according to him before, who guarded that station. Nino listened idly while looking at the shop owner’s face. Even though he had his face mostly covered, Nino still found himself drawn to his facial features. His eyebrows, mostly, because those thick eyebrows looked somehow attractive despite naturally funny.

Nino was baffled when the shop owner turned his face to him.

“Here’s the form for you to fill,” he handed the form to Nino. Apparently, Nino had missed quite a lot of their conversation because the shop keeper was back to checking the flowers on the other side of the store.

Nino filled the information needed and handed the form back. The shop owner politely nodded as he typed the content of the form to his computer.

“We will contact you when there are problems - which we hope won’t happen. If you need to put inquiry about the order, though, feel free to call us at the number on your receipt. Aiba-san and I will gladly help you,” the shop owner said while handing Nino a receipt.

“And your name is?”

The funny-looking eyebrows moved a bit. Nino guessed the shop owner was smiling.

“My name is Matsumoto,” he replied, “But was it necessary to ask for my name?”

Nino was taken aback by the question, “Do you think I’m flirting with you?” he snorted, “I was just asking because you mentioned that that guy over there’s name is Aiba-san, that’s all.”

The shop owner - Matsumoto made a huffing noise through his mask, “Okay, whatever, I’ll prepare your order accordingly then. Is there anything else we can help you?”

Nino observed Matsumoto’s eyes a bit. From a close distance, he could see that the eyes were quite red and wet. From tears?

“Is your allergy that bad?” Nino blurted.

Matsumoto frowned his brows, “Excuse me?”

“Is your allergy that bad? I mean, your eyes are wet and quite red.”

“Aiba san’s allergy is worse, actually,” Matsumoto replied, “But I forgot to put on a mask when I walked to here from home and, yeah, you see, it’s spring already.”

Nino chuckled, “The pollen is in the air, isn’t it? You’re not very brilliant, I see.”

“Excuse me?” Matsumoto raised his tone.

“Nah, forget it. I’m sorry. But I think I know a doctor, if you want to, you know, ask for an anti-allergy prescription,” Nino took out his wallet then folded his order receipt in half before putting it inside.

“Thanks, but no, thanks,” Matsumoto mumbled, “I have my prescription, and it works fine.”

“I can see that,” Nino rolled his eyes.

“So is there anything more we can help you?” Matsumoto asked, apparently was growing impatient.

“That’s all, I think,” Nino snickers, “Thank you for the help.”

Nino turned to walk out of the shop but after five steps he glanced back to Matsumoto, “I’m serious about the doctor recommendation.”

“And I’m serious about my prescription works just fine,” Matsumoto replied, nodding.

Nino smiled, “Whatever works for you then,” he walked to the door but not before stopping near the shopkeeper, Aiba-san, “Your boss is cute, is he available?” he whispered.

Aiba-san laughed at that question, “He’s single, but I’m not sure about him being available. His eyebrows scare people away, though.”

Nino hummed, “I kinda like it. Well, see you again later, Aiba-san, thank you for the help!”

“No problem!” Aiba chirped and waved his hand to Nino’s direction as Nino made his way out of the shop.

**

Nino flipped a name card on his hand. It was the Fleur La Vie’s name card. He had taken it when he made the order for his mother before, thinking that it would probably come in handy if he wanted to make another reservation.

His mother’s flowers were perfect; those were even better than the bouquet he ordered from his usual florist. Somehow it was more fresh and lively than the usual bouquet he handed out to his mother.

But what he was thinking about at the moment wasn’t the fact that it was a reliable florist; and that he should start ordering his mother’s flowers there, no. He just thought that he wanted to pay the florist another visit. But he had no idea what for.

There was nothing to celebrate recently, and there was also no one to give flowers to. Well, he just got promoted and had a room for himself at the hospital now. Not himself, technically, it’s just that he didn’t have to share it with some people at the same time. But even taking that fact, it only meant that he should be the one to receive the flowers, not the one giving it away.

Something suddenly snapped inside Nino’s brain. That’s it! He’s going to buy flowers to put on his desk. Wouldn’t it be nice to have fresh flowers to look at when he’s taking care of his patients?

Taking his coat off the rack, Nino walked out of the room to buy said flowers. His shift had ended hours ago anyway.

**

When Nino arrived at the florist, he saw Matsumoto - or at least he thought it was, from the view of his back and the hair - locking the door of the shop. It was 6 in the afternoon, and Nino didn’t think that they would be closing so soon.

Matsumoto turned around when he finished locking the door, and he looked a little surprised to see Nino there.

“Are you closed already?” Nino asked.

“As you can see, I was just finished locking the door,” Matsumoto answered, shrugging.

Nino paused for a while when he realized Matsumoto wasn’t wearing his mask. He couldn’t help but stare at the other attractive features of Matsumoto’s face he wasn’t able to see before. Matsumoto had sharp facial features, but instead of offensive, Nino found them alluring.

Like his lips and the mole above it. And there on the upper lip. And one peeking under the bottom lip...

“So, are you going here to visit the shop or what? Because as you see, we are closed already and I’m sorry I can’t give whatever you want to order even though I’m here because it’s past my working hour.”

Nino snapped out of his train of thought and snorted a bit. Matsumoto was not very friendly even though he was facing a customer, and now, outside of his ’working hour’, he seemed even more cranky.

“Your nose is red,” Nino chose to reply with that instead.

Matsumoto rolled his eyes while he wiped his nose with a handkerchief, “It was because of the pollen. But my nose got very itchy. It gets uncomfortable to wear the mask. So I just took the mask off.”

“You really should do something with that allergy of yours,” Nino replied.

“I’ve told you I have a working prescription of anti-allergy. Why don’t you leave me alone,” Matsumoto replied, his tone colder.

“I meant it about my doctor recommendation, you know,” Nino shrugged, “In fact, I’ll just,” he took his wallet from his pants’ pocket, pulled a name card, and handed it to Matsumoto, “give you this name card. Here, call this doctor, or better, give him a visit. He worked at the hospital just up the street.”

Matsumoto reluctantly took it. He skimmed it, then flipping it over to see what’s written on the back side. Nothing. Just a very basic name card. He read the name once again, and his eyes got wider out of a sudden.

“But isn’t ’Ninomiya’ your name, though?” Matsumoto looked up and saw that there was no one in front of him. He smiled in amusement, “So you are a doctor, huh? What a lame way to introduce yourself,” he took his wallet and put the card inside. “Well, at least you’re cute.”

**

Nino wasn’t doing anything when his assistant knocked the door. When he answered with a “get in,” his assistant then opened the door slightly, peeking his head from the gap.

“Sensei, we have a patient,”

“Just let him in. You can see that I’m doing nothing at the moment.”

“Okay,” his assistant’s head disappeared from the door, and then he opened it wider to let the patient inside.

Nino almost jumped on his seat in his attempt to sit more properly.

“Good afternoon, Ninomiya-sensei,” Matsumoto beamed from the door, “Someone recommended me to see you for an anti-allergy prescription.”

Nino pointed at the chair across him, giving a sign for Jun to sit down. Nino then moved his head to look at his assistant; who didn’t quite recognize what’s going on and casually got out before closing the door behind him.

“No one calls themselves as a ‘recommended doctor’ and gives their name card to people,” Matsumoto started the conversation.

“Well I am,” Nino shrugged, “So, what is your complaint?” he continued nonchalantly.

Matsumoto sighed, “You heard me, I need an anti-allergy prescription.”

“Yes? For what kind of allergy?”

“You know, I think I’m allergic to cheeky guys.”

Nino frowned a bit at that, and Matsumoto laughed.

But then he continued, “And umm, a guy who, instead of directly asking me out, giving out his name card and called himself a recommended doctor.”

“But you’re here! It works!” Nino exclaimed, half-laughing.

Matsumoto rolled his eyes, “Thank goodness you’re cute.”

“Excuse me?”

“No, forget it,” Matsumoto hushed him.

There was a brief silence, then, “Now what? Are you going to give me that prescription for real or were you just purely flirting?”

Nino smiled, “I can write you the medicines,” he handed Matsumoto a piece of paper, “But first you have to write your phone number here.”

Matsumoto’s face lit up, and he shook his head disbelievingly. “Where exactly did you learn your flirting techniques? They’re not particularly smooth.”

Nino snickered, already jotting down some things on another piece of paper, “Doesn’t matter. It works.”

Matsumoto blinked as he watched Nino writing his prescription seriously, “I can’t believe you,” and then he wrote on the piece of paper anyway.

“Okay, there you go,” Nino gave the prescription with one hand while gesturing to ask Jun’s paper with the other.

Jun quickly snatched it from Nino’s hand and stood up, then slid the other paper on the desk.

“Thank you, Sensei, I’m leaving now,” Jun said finally before excusing himself out.

Nino smiled at the view and took the paper from the table - he had seen earlier that Jun wrote his number on it, so he didn’t say anything that Jun left briefly after. But he totally missed that Jun had written something else on the paper.

’The Ramen Bar down the street. Friday. 7PM.  
Or just meet me outside the shop, like the last time. We can walk there together.’

Nino snorted, “Hey but your way isn’t so smooth either!”

**

**EPILOGUE**

Jun’s phone rang. He picked the phone and saw the caller ID to find out who it was. It was an unknown number. He pushed the button to answer and brought the phone close to his ear.

“Yes. Matsumoto’s speaking.”

“Do you think I will just go with your invitation like that? Don’t you think I have something else to do?”

Jun snorted. He didn’t even need to think twice of who it was.

“Yeah? Do you have anything else to do at that time? We can always reschedule, don’t be so anal.”

“Well, I don’t. But that doesn’t mean-”

“Great, then. See you on Friday, Sensei.” Jun pushed the button to end the call. He put the phone down then continued sipping his beer. It was going to be interesting.


End file.
